Politics

Elliot Denies Violence Plot as Group Alleges Surulere APC Primary Disruption

Published

3 months ago

May 20, 2026

'Bad Loser': APC Chieftain Knocks Desmond Elliot Over Surulere Primary Withdrawal

Elliot Denies Violence Plot as Group Alleges Surulere APC Primary Disruption

A political pressure group, the Surulere Accountability Front (SAF), has alleged a plot by the lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Desmond Elliot, to cause chaos during Wednesday’s All Progressives Congress assembly primaries in the constituency. The group, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr Olanrewaju Badmus, alleged that Elliot had brought non-residents into the constituency to disrupt the exercise across the six wards where voting would take place. According to the group, the alleged plan is to use violence and gunshots to scare away genuine voters and force the primary election into an inconclusive outcome. Badmus stated: “We have confirmed information that Desmond Elliot has flooded Surulere 1 with non-Surulere people ahead of the primaries across all six wards where voting will take place. They allegedly plan to use gunshots to scare voters away and let the primary election become inconclusive, believing he will then be called for negotiation.”

The group’s leader further alleged that some of the individuals brought into the area were being accommodated in hotels, church halls, mosque halls, an OPC office in Ward G, and market spaces within the constituency. He said that some youths in the area had earlier chased out suspected outsiders from Lawanson Market and urged party members and residents to remain vigilant during the exercise. “We will not negotiate our representation with someone who has shown desperation, greed, disrespect for the organised Tinubu political structure in Lagos and lust for power,” the statement read. The group declared its support for the party’s gender inclusion policy and endorsed Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, a former Special Adviser on Housing to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the APC ticket in the constituency. The Surulere Accountability Front also warned contestants against violence and disruption in the primary election, urging party members to remain calm, vigilant, and peaceful throughout the exercise across the six wards in the constituency. It appealed to eligible voters to mobilise massively and participate peacefully in the primary election and urged party members to cooperate with security agencies and party officials to ensure a credible and orderly process.

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However, a source within Elliot’s camp described the allegation as laughable, saying his opponent and her supporters “are only jittery of the lawmaker’s popularity.” The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The allegation is a figment of their imagination. They are jittery because they know Elliot will defeat them. We are for free and fair elections, and we will surely win in a free and fair contest.” Elliot himself has insisted that no party leader, including the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, had asked him to step down from the race. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, the actor-turned-politician said he remained committed to the primary process. “Because I was not asked by him, my leader (Gbajabiamila), never,” Elliot said. “Even the day I declared, I flew to Abuja to see him again to tell him, ‘Oga’, which is how I call him, ‘Oga, I am here again.’ But at the end of the day, I am here to also serve the people. I do have the leadership, I do have the people. So, the President has said, let the people decide. If they want you to continue, you continue.” Elliot has also alleged that members of his political camp in Surulere were facing intimidation ahead of the primary election. He claimed that some local government officials allegedly lost their positions because of their support for him. “We are being intimidated in Surulere. If you know you are popular on the ground, do not intimidate the people,” he said. The lawmaker also alleged that he was being called names simply because he decided to contest again. “The truth is, I am not a cultist. I have never been a cultist. I am not a thug. I have never been. My record, my eight years, is open. I have not created any problem for anybody,” Elliot stated.

The lawmaker, who has represented Surulere Constituency I since 2015, explained why he is seeking a fourth term, saying his ambition was driven by the possibility of becoming a principal officer in the Assembly. Addressing his constituents during a campaign on Friday, Elliot urged his supporters not to bow to intimidation from rival camps. “The question is, ‘what am I looking for in the fourth term that I am being intimidated to step down?’ Don’t accept it, you have invested so much in me. There is a high chance that I will become a principal officer. On the 21st of May, stand your ground, come out in your large numbers to vote for me, and I will emerge victorious,” he said. Elliot, who quoted Psalm 121 during the campaign, said he was confident God would help him overcome the internal contest. “One with God is the majority,” he stated.

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Earlier on Friday, Elliot publicly apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, whom he described as his political mentor. Speaking on TVC’s Your View, the lawmaker said any misunderstanding between them was unintentional and insisted he remained committed to party unity. “I know media will come out and say eh, Desmond begs again. Yes, because he’s my egbon, and I grew up learning everything I know in politics through him. So, some of these things were not intentional,” he said. “He might be upset for something or whatever it was. I’m human, and to err is human, to forgive is divine. So, I’m sorry, my daddy, if I have offended you in any way. Give me another chance so we can move on and bring development and dividends of democracy to the people,” Elliot said. The apology followed previous tensions linked to the Lagos Assembly leadership crisis, during which Gbajabiamila said President Bola Tinubu confronted him over intelligence reports alleging Elliot’s involvement in the speakership tussle, a claim Elliot has consistently denied.

Meanwhile, Elliot has explained why he signed the impeachment notice against the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, during the January 2025 leadership crisis in the Assembly. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the actor-turned-politician said he was outside the country when the impeachment took place. The majority of lawmakers in the Lagos Assembly, on January 13, 2025, voted to remove Obasa as Speaker while he was reportedly on vacation in the United States. “I would like to state categorically that I wasn’t in the country. My wife and I travelled during the period of January 13th of 2025. We were in recess and then it was an opportunity for us to travel to attend my wife’s younger sister’s wedding,” he said. According to Elliot, he was in South Africa when news of Obasa’s impeachment broke. “That was the time Mr Mudashiru Obasa was impeached by Lagos State House of Assembly.

It came to me as a shock because I was in South Africa then. So, obviously, it took me about two days to come back. I was also as confused as everybody was.” The lawmaker disclosed that he appended his signature to the impeachment document because he believed the move had the backing of the presidency. “And then I saw that almost everybody had signed. And pretty much, we thought it was from the presidency. In all fairness, we thought it was from the presidency. And, of course, I appended my own signature. I believe I was maybe a 30-something person at that point in time because others who had travelled had returned and others who signed.” Elliot said lawmakers later received clarification from President Bola Tinubu that the impeachment was not authorised by him. “But eventually, Mr President called us and made us understand that it was not from him and asked us to return the speaker. And we did,” he added.

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Elliot’s remarks came in response to claims by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, who alleged that intelligence reports linked him to the impeachment attempt and that the situation nearly cost him his position. Gbajabiamila made the disclosure during an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos last Thursday, where he recounted how the political turmoil surrounding Obasa’s removal in January 2025 almost created a rift between him and President Tinubu. “I almost lost my job as chief of staff last year because of Desmond Elliot. He’s alive today; you can go and verify with him,” Gbajabiamila said. According to him, Tinubu summoned him to Abuja during the crisis and specifically mentioned Desmond Elliot among lawmakers allegedly involved in the impeachment plot. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives said he initially defended Elliot before later reaching out to him directly after meeting with the president. According to him, he cautioned the Surulere Constituency I lawmaker to distance himself from the impeachment move if he was involved. Gbajabiamila disclosed that three days later, the Director-General of the Department of State Services contacted him over claims that he was backing Elliot in the crisis rocking the Lagos Assembly. “Of course, the president will not believe that Desmond will do such a thing, and I don’t know about it,” he stated. He said he again urged Elliot to publicly dissociate himself from the impeachment plot, but the lawmaker allegedly refused to do so. “If it were not that I had the kind of relationship I had with the president, I wouldn’t be here today,” Gbajabiamila added.

Reacting to Gbajabiamila’s accusation, Elliot said he was surprised by the comment, considering their longstanding political relationship. “So, my leader (Gbajabiamila) coming to say this, that I almost lost his job, one I have served and has also been there for me for this long, to have said that came to me as a shock,” he said. “I did not mastermind anything. I had nothing at all. The only thing I did was to append my signature when I came back and I saw a bunch of us, if not all of us, had already appended a signature to say, ‘Oh, it was the party who wanted it.'” Elliot also addressed reports that the APC leadership is backing Barakat Odunuga-Bakare to replace him. Despite the speculation, he said no party leader, including Gbajabiamila, had asked him to step down from the race ahead of the party primaries. He reaffirmed his commitment to a free and fair primary election, stating: “If I lose, I will throw my support behind the winner. But please let it be under a free and fair election. By the grace of God, if I win, Alhamdulillah.”

Mudashiru Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, following allegations of abuse of office and gross misconduct levelled against him by lawmakers in the Lagos Assembly. Following his removal, then-Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda emerged as Speaker, becoming the first woman to occupy the position in Lagos State. However, Obasa rejected the impeachment upon his return to Nigeria and challenged the decision in court. After spending 49 days in office, Meranda stepped down and Obasa was reinstated as Speaker following the intervention of President Tinubu. A court subsequently nullified the proceedings and resolutions of the Assembly that led to Obasa’s impeachment.

Elliot Denies Violence Plot as Group Alleges Surulere APC Primary Disruption

Politics

2027: Peter Obi lost his chance when he left ADC for NDC – Fayose

Published

7 hours ago

August 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose

2027: Peter Obi lost his chance when he left ADC for NDC – Fayose

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has said Peter Obi suffered a major political setback in his bid for the 2027 presidency after leaving the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Fayose made the comment during an interview on TVC News’ Politics Tonight, where he assessed the chances of the opposition parties against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election.

According to Fayose, the opposition had a stronger opportunity to mount a serious challenge against President Bola Tinubu when prominent opposition figures were united under the ADC.

He said Obi’s decision to leave the coalition weakened the opposition’s chances and effectively ended the former Anambra State governor’s advantage within the opposition camp.

“When they were all together in ADC, I would tell anybody that they will make an impact. The day Obi left ADC for NDC, that day Obi lost,” Fayose said.

Despite his criticism of Obi’s political decision, Fayose spoke positively about the former Anambra governor’s record and political profile.

He described Obi as “a fantastic Nigerian” who had made his mark and demonstrated that positive change was possible.

However, Fayose argued that personal popularity would not be enough to secure victory in a presidential election without a strong political structure and a united opposition.

“But when opposition, when they don’t come together, they will continue to lose,” he said.

Fayose’s comments come amid continuing political realignments ahead of the 2027 Nigerian presidential election, with major opposition figures pursuing different platforms after an earlier attempt to consolidate them under the ADC.

Obi’s departure from the ADC has been particularly significant because he had initially been viewed by some opposition figures as one of the coalition’s strongest potential presidential contenders. His subsequent move to the NDC has altered the opposition landscape and created separate political camps ahead of the election.

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In a July 2026 interview with Channels Television, Obi confirmed his status as the NDC presidential candidate for 2027 and defended his political strategy, saying his decision to contest was driven by his belief that he could fix Nigeria’s major challenges and unite the country. (Cockatoo)

Fayose, however, maintained that the fragmentation of the opposition has created an advantage for the APC.

He said the political process had advanced to a stage where it would be difficult for opposition politicians to reverse their decisions and return to a single platform.

“It’s too late now,” Fayose said. “INEC has accredited everybody. Even if you say you are not doing again, you’re on your own.”

“You have put your feet in the water. You can’t get out. You have gotten wet already,” he added.

Fayose also predicted that President Tinubu would perform strongly in the South-West during the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the President could secure close to four million votes in the region, based on the voting pattern recorded during the 2023 presidential election.

“In the West alone, Tinubu will get close to about four million votes,” Fayose said.

“When you look at the pattern of the last election, Tinubu will win this election close to about 65 per cent.”

The projection comes as political parties intensify their efforts to consolidate support across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Tinubu secured substantial support in parts of the South-West during the 2023 presidential election, although the region did not vote uniformly, with different candidates winning different states.

Fayose also commented on the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, rejecting claims that vote-buying was associated with only one political camp.

He said supporters of the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord were all involved in alleged vote-buying activities observed during the election.

“It’s mere desperation. Mere desperation,” Fayose said.

He added that reports of arrests over alleged vote-buying involved people linked to different political camps.

“The two sides clearly, going by what we saw on the television on Saturday, police arrested the two sides sharing money. So don’t come and tell me they are saints both ways,” he said.

The former governor said the problem of electoral malpractice in Nigeria should not be reduced to accusations against one party because it was a broader challenge affecting the electoral system.

“We have a lot to put right,” Fayose said.

“It’s the system. It’s systemic. It is a problem that has to be addressed.”

His comments highlight the wider political battle expected ahead of the 2027 general election, as the APC seeks to retain the presidency while opposition parties attempt to build competitive structures capable of challenging Tinubu.

For Obi, the immediate challenge is to translate his personal political following into a strong nationwide structure under the NDC. His supporters will also have to demonstrate that his decision to pursue an independent opposition platform can overcome the disadvantages created by the fragmentation of the earlier ADC coalition.

Fayose’s assessment, however, remains a political prediction rather than an electoral outcome. The 2027 presidential election has not yet been held, and the eventual result will depend on the candidates, campaigns, party structures, voter turnout and the choices Nigerians make at the polls.

2027: Peter Obi lost his chance when he left ADC for NDC – Fayose

Politics

Sokoto APC suffers fresh setback as over 700 members reportedly defect to ADC

Published

13 hours ago

August 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Sokoto APC suffers fresh setback as over 700 members reportedly defect to ADC

More than 700 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State have reportedly defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing alleged neglect, poor representation and growing insecurity in their communities.

The reported APC defection involved members from Goronyo and Shinaka wards and comes as political parties intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The defectors were led by Alhaji Aliyu Tunau Shinaka, a former APC secretary in Goronyo Local Government and two-time special adviser to the Sokoto State Government.

Others reported to have joined the ADC include former APC youth leader in the local government, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Taloka; Alhaji Kabiru Malam Isah Mai’alewa; and prominent women leader and youth mobiliser Hajiya Shafa’atu S/Pawa Goronyo.

Speaking during the defection ceremony, Shinaka said the group decided to leave the APC after what he described as prolonged neglect of grassroots members and residents by the party leadership.

He alleged that party members who worked for the APC’s electoral success had not received adequate attention from the leadership and that concerns raised by residents had remained largely unaddressed.

Sokoto APC suffers fresh setback as over 700 members reportedly defect to ADC

Shinaka also criticised Muhammad Bello Goronyo, the Minister of State for Works and a prominent APC figure from the area, accusing him of failing to provide the level of political leadership and development initiatives expected by residents.

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He particularly questioned the progress of federal road rehabilitation across Sokoto East Senatorial District, arguing that the minister’s position at the Federal Ministry of Works should result in greater attention to infrastructure challenges affecting communities in the region.

The allegations were made by the defectors and have not been independently verified. No response from the minister or the APC leadership in Goronyo was provided alongside the claims.

Another defector, Taloka, said the group joined the ADC because it wanted a political platform that would give greater priority to the welfare and security of residents.

He described the movement as a response to what he called the concerns of grassroots supporters who felt they were only remembered during election periods.

The defectors also expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation in Goronyo and neighbouring communities, alleging that banditry had disrupted farming, displaced residents and damaged local economic activities.

They claimed that more than 100 residents of Goronyo Local Government were being held by bandits in camps across parts of Sokoto East. The claim could not be independently verified.

According to the group, insecurity has made it difficult for many residents to access their farms, while some families have allegedly been displaced and others affected by the loss of relatives and livelihoods.

Shinaka said political leaders had a responsibility to remain connected to communities during periods of insecurity and provide support to victims and affected families.

The reported defection comes amid wider political realignments in Sokoto State ahead of the 2027 elections.

The ADC has attracted politicians and supporters from established parties in different parts of the country as opposition figures seek to build a broader political coalition ahead of the next general election.

Sokoto has also recorded previous political movement towards the ADC. In April 2026, seven members of the Sokoto State House of Assembly reportedly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ADC, including Nasiru Adamu, who represents Goronyo Constituency.

The latest reported movement could further strengthen the ADC’s grassroots structure in Goronyo if the defectors remain active within the party.

The APC, meanwhile, has also recorded political movements into its fold in the area. In November 2025, former PDP figures in Goronyo joined the APC and were received by Minister of State for Works Muhammad Bello Goronyo.

The contrasting movements reflect the increasingly fluid political landscape in Sokoto as parties position themselves for the 2027 elections.

For the ADC, the reported entry of more than 700 APC members could provide additional grassroots strength in Goronyo. For the APC, the development could create a fresh challenge for its mobilisation efforts in an area regarded as an important political base.

The defectors said they were prepared to work for the expansion of the ADC and support what they described as a new political direction centred on security, peace, good governance and development.

With the 2027 elections drawing closer, further defections and political realignments are expected across Sokoto State as the APC, ADC, PDP and other parties compete to strengthen their structures and attract influential politicians and grassroots supporters.

Sokoto APC suffers fresh setback as over 700 members reportedly defect to ADC

Politics

Osun Poll: Fayose Says Federal Might Could Have Swayed Result If Deployed

Published

14 hours ago

August 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose

Osun Poll: Fayose Says Federal Might Could Have Swayed Result If Deployed

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has declared that if the Federal Government genuinely intended to manipulate an election outcome by force, there would be little anyone could do to stop it. Fayose made this assertion while reflecting on the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election, during an interview with TVC News, in which incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke secured re-election under the Accord Party banner. The former governor, who said he remained in Osogbo throughout the election period, explained that he visited markets and communities across the state, including Ilesa, to gauge the mood of voters ahead of the poll, and his interactions with residents suggested the election would be closely contested, with the result capable of going either way.

When asked if he knew Adeleke would win, Fayose said the closeness of the contest meant either candidate could have emerged victorious, stating, “When you have an election that is 52, 48, it could go either way,” contrasting that with an election where one candidate holds a much wider lead of 30 to 70. He expressed concern about the violence and killings recorded around the election, describing them as unnecessary and deeply regrettable, noting that the Nigeria Police Force retained approximately 15,000 personnel deployed for the election and deployed anti-riot policemen and undercover operatives to strategic locations to prevent post-election violence, following at least 34 election-related violent incidents that resulted in 18 deaths recorded since May 2026.

On vote buying, Fayose stated that neither the APC nor the Accord Party could claim innocence, saying the two sides clearly engaged in the practice, and according to reports, vote trading topped the list of electoral offences with 103 cases recorded by observers, with police arresting individuals from both sides sharing money. Official results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed that Governor Ademola Adeleke polled 511,067 votes (51.90 per cent) to defeat APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes (45.17 per cent), with the margin of victory increasing from 28,344 votes in 2022 to 66,252 votes in 2026, and the wider margin, combined with intense competition, made manipulation more difficult, according to the Athena Election Observatory.

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Fayose broke down the winning margin, arguing that a significant portion of the difference came from Ede, the home base of the Adeleke family, where in Ede North, Adeleke polled 35,427 votes against Oyebamiji’s 10,283, while in Ede South, he secured 26,188 votes compared with the APC candidate’s 6,219, and Adeleke also won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas. He addressed claims that the Federal Government wanted to take over the election, saying, “I want to say to you, if the federal government wants to take an election, they will take it. If the federal government… the ones I know of the past, if they want to take an election, there’s nothing you can do,” a statement that echoed comments by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who said President Bola Tinubu could have secured victory for the APC in Osun if he wanted it “at all costs,” insisting that the result showed that no federal might was deployed in Osun and that the President allowed a free and fair process, with Fayose agreeing with Wike’s position, responding, “That, that exactly…”

Fayose congratulated Adeleke on his victory and urged him to reconcile with all stakeholders in the state, saying, “So let us commend the Adelekes for winning and remind them they need to be magnanimous in victory. The language now must be right. Reconciliation must be total. Not with the Accord alone, but with all other stakeholders because all of you are from Osun state.” His comments come as political stakeholders continue to analyse the outcome of the closely watched governorship election, which has significant implications for the political landscape in the South-West region and the build-up to the 2027 general elections.